Fossil Legislation and Ethics

Part of Kuban's Paleo Place


This site provides links to Internet resources on fossil-related legislation, collecting rights, and ethics.
Glen J. Kuban
E-mail paleo@ix.netcom.com
P.O. Box 33232, North Royalton, OH 44133

American Geologic Institute. . - Has information on legislation issues, from a professional paleontologist viewpoint.

Paleontological Society Code of Fossil Collecting - Covers ethics and responsibilities of fossil collecting.

Fossil Preservation Act of 1995 - Text of much-debated Bauccus bill

Fossil legislation and rights in Alberta, Canada.


PaleoWars - A running account compiled by Matt Fraser of the controversy converning fossil collecting on public lands.

Fossil Protection Act of 1996 (HR 2943) - Text of the HR 2943, also known as the Johnson bill, the legislation largely spearheaded by ALAA, the American Lands Access Association, which allowed limited amateur and commercial collecting on federal lands, and which was supported by some amateur groups (often with reservations) and opposed by most professionals.

S.A.F.E. (Save Americas Fossils for Everyone) - Despite the benevolent sounding name, SAFE is a lobbying group whose approach toward fossil legislation has heavily favored strong professional control and protectionism over amateur collecting rights. SAFE is an affiliate of SVP, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists, made up largely of professional paleontologists.

South Dakota Fossil Bill (S-86, State)

THOMAS: Legislative Information on the Internet

U.S. House of Representatives Internet Law Library - Look for the following:

Bureau of Land Management - A large portion of federal land in the western U.S. is BLM land.